TCF Canada writing: how to approach tasks 1, 2 and 3

Splitting the 60 minutes

The three tasks share 60 minutes, and the candidate handbook gives no split per task. Some prep sites suggest roughly 12, 18 and 30 minutes: that is a suggestion, not a rule. The idea to keep is simple: task 3 needs the most reading and thinking, task 1 the least.

Always keep three to five minutes at the end for proofreading. A focused check (agreement, verb forms, accents, word count) often earns more than one extra sentence. Aim for the middle of each range rather than its limits, so you keep a margin if your count differs slightly from the rater’s.

A starting split could therefore be: three minutes reading all the instructions, increasing time from task 1 to task 3, then five minutes of proofreading. Adjust it after two or three timed attempts according to your weak spots.

Task 1: the message (60 to 120 words)

Start by reading who the recipient is: that sets your register. To a friend you can use tu and keep things simple; to a manager or a neighbour you hardly know, use vous and take care over the opening and closing formulas.

An effective structure has four parts: a greeting, the reason for the message, the information requested (who, what, when, where, why), then a closing formula. Answer every point in the instructions, one by one.

For a message of about 90 words, count roughly ten words for the greeting and opening, about sixty for the content and about twenty for the ending and closing formula.

• Useful connectors: d’abord, ensuite, puis, enfin; c’est pourquoi; en effet; mais; par ailleurs.
• Common mistakes: mixing tu and vous, forgetting a requested item, going over 120 words by telling too much, writing with no paragraphs.

Task 2: article, letter or note (120 to 150 words)

Here you write for several readers and you have a precise purpose: to protest, to persuade, to report an experience, to make up. The purpose should show from the start and guide the whole text.

A simple build works well: an introduction setting out the situation, a body that tells or reports the facts with your comments and opinions, then a conclusion that returns to the purpose (a request, a wish, a proposal). With 150 words at most, two or three well-chosen ideas beat five ideas touched on lightly.

For the opinion, use measured phrases (je trouve que, il me semble que, à mon sens), then justify with parce que, car or a concrete example. An opinion with no justification shows little development.

• Useful connectors: tout d’abord, de plus, en outre, cependant, en revanche, c’est pourquoi, par conséquent.
• Common mistakes: telling the story without giving an opinion, forgetting the purpose, using a register too casual for several readers, going over the maximum.

Task 3: comparing two viewpoints (120 to 180 words)

The instructions present two documents on a social phenomenon. You compare their viewpoints, then give your own. Jot down the position of each document in a few words before you write.

A plan of four short paragraphs fits: introduce the topic, first viewpoint, second viewpoint (with what sets them apart or brings them together), then your opinion with one or two arguments. Rephrase the documents in your own words instead of copying them.

With 180 words at most, plan about 30 words per document, 50 to 60 for your opinion, and the rest for the introduction and conclusion. These are only guides to keep the text balanced.

• Useful connectors: alors que, d’un côté… de l’autre, contrairement à, tout comme, selon le premier document, à mon avis, personnellement, en conclusion.
• Common mistakes: summarising without comparing, leaving out your own viewpoint, copying sentences from the documents, a conclusion that repeats the introduction.

A routine to repeat at every practice session

Time yourself on all three tasks back to back, proofread with the same checklist each time (agreement, tenses, accents, register, word count) and keep a record of your recurring mistakes. An AI estimate can help you spot them, but it stays indicative and does not replace an examiner.

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